HMRC has named 11 businesses and individuals across Greater Manchester for deliberately defaulting on their tax payments, with penalties totalling more than £3.3 million.
The list, published on October 2, includes more than 130 people and businesses across the UK who deliberately defaulted on tax. HMRC issued penalties in each case, with the Greater Manchester entities collectively charged over £3,300,000.
Who is on the list?
The entities across Greater Manchester include a tax repayment agent, a taxi driver, a stairlift and disability bathrooms supplier, and three takeaways. The list covers civil penalties only and does not include criminal convictions for tax fraud. Details remain published for 12 months.
The cases relate to businesses which did not pay at least £25,000 in tax, or make a full disclosure when HMRC began its investigation – a step that would have kept their details off the list. The information is only released once the penalties are final.
Largest penalties in the region
Brooksdale Ltd, a tax repayment agent formerly of Magnetic House, Waterfront Quay, Salford, received the biggest penalties. For a period covering October 2020 to February 2024, it defaulted on £3,805,857.38 in taxes and was charged £1,998,075.12 in penalties.
Super Dealz Online Ltd, registered as 'selling goods on internet', defaulted on £820,818 from December 2012 to May 2023. Formerly of Everside Drive, Manchester, the firm was charged £574,574.
PJ Rochdale Ltd, a takeaway formerly operating as a franchise of Papa Johns, defaulted on £213,785.95 from July 2018 to July 2019; August 2019 to July 2021; and June 2022 to August 2023. Formerly of 3 Mellor Street, Rochdale, the firm was charged £149,650.16.
Other defaulters named
Dawnclay Limited, a plumbing and heating wholesaler formerly of Jactin House, Ancoats, was charged £149,207.84 for defaulting on £180,858 from November 2024 to December 2024.
Aziz Ahmed, a taxi driver from Montgomery Road, Manchester, defaulted on £125,548.97 from April 2016 to April 2024. He was charged £72,190.62.
Atak Kebab Limited, a takeaway registered at 289 Slade Lane, Manchester, was charged £64,707.05 for defaulting £109,861.52 from January 2021 to January 2023.
Stephen Michael Talbot, a consultant registered at Quebec Building, Bury Road, Salford, was charged £100,749.10 for defaulting £106,035.78 from April 2011 to April 2014; and April 2019 to April 2022.
Vishal Kumar Sagar, a retailer of clothing via online marketplace, registered at Braemar Road, Manchester, was charged £61,542.39 for defaulting £89,516.22 from April 2020 to April 2023.
Jungle Grill Stockport Limited, formerly trading as 'Jungle Grill', was charged £61,418.03. The takeaway, formerly of 20 Princes Street, Stockport, defaulted £88,222.92 from August 2019 to April 2022.
Elevation Solutions NW Limited, a supply and installation of stairlifts and disability bathrooms company, was charged £42,420.38. The firm, registered at Abbey Lodge, Eccles, defaulted £64,449 from July 2024 to December 2024.
McDonaldandsonslandscape Ltd, a landscape services firm formerly of Westwood Crescent, Eccles, was charged £59,284 for defaulting £59,284 from April 2024 to October 2024.
HMRC's enforcement approach
The publication of the list of deliberate defaulters is one of the many measures HMRC is using to tackle non-compliance in tax payments, while also stepping up its wider enforcement activity.
The Publishing Details of Deliberate Defaulters (PDDD) regime allows HMRC to release information about taxpayers who have deliberately defaulted on their tax obligations where the statutory conditions are met. The regime is intended to support transparency and act as a deterrent to deliberate non-compliance. Publication is not automatic, and a taxpayer will only be considered for the list where the statutory conditions are satisfied.
Therefore, the regime is targeted at the most serious cases of deliberate tax non-compliance and does not apply to taxpayers who have made genuine mistakes or whose behaviour does not meet the legal test for deliberate conduct.
Responding to questions about the latest list, a HMRC spokesperson told the ECHO: "We follow a robust process when we publish our Deliberate Defaulters list and details are only published where the statutory conditions are met. Before publication we carefully consider the facts of each case and taxpayers have opportunities to make representations before the list is published."
